I refer to the report Tons Of Silt And Waste Removed From Gozo Valley (August 23). I see this project from a different point of view.

Why weren’t the silt and illegally dumped waste cleared regularly during the past 10 years from this site? Would officials at the Ministry for Gozo enlighten us on why their ministry was so lethargic about such an important matter in the past?

Clearing of such sites ought to be carried out every year, before the winter sets in. It is shameful that after years of such environmental abandonment we are regaled and solicited to applaud the Gozo Ministry for taking up the clearing of the valley so belatedly!

It is being stated that “the aim of the project was to allow the sister island to retain more rainwater rather than letting it go to waste”. All well and good; this is commendable. But does the minister appreciate that through her ministry’s inaction over the past years millions of gallons of rain water had gone to waste?

It’s good to highlight such environmental work but considering the circumstances of this particular project, it was and is appropriate for the minister to publicly apologise for her ministry’s shortcomings in the past with regard to the clearing of existing water catchment areas.